ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. cold — not warm
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. mate — to breed
  10. plane — a tool
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cold — an illness
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. degree — from a university
  15. degree — an amount
  16. degree — temperature
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mate — a partner
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mate — a friend
  22. pass — a permit
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. arm — a part of something

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com